Consulting Psychiatrists

Cathy L. Budman, MD is a board certified psychiatrist, Professor of Psychiatry at the Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, and an internationally acclaimed specialist in Tourette Syndrome and its commonly occurring disorders.  Dr. Budman is the Director of the National Tourette Center of Excellence and a founding member of the New York State Centers of Excellence for Tourette Consortium.

Dr. Budman has been working with children, adults, and families affected by Tourette and its commonly co-occurring conditions for over twenty five years. She is also a clinical research investigator studying novel treatments for tics and related phenomenology. Dr. Budman has lectured to both professional and lay audiences worldwide, is involved in national and international research collaborations, and has published extensively in the field. She served on the National Medical Advisory Board for the Tourette Association of America for many years, continues to serve on the Medical Advisory Boards for Long Island Tourette Association and CHADD, and as an expert consultant. Dr. Budman has received numerous awards and professional recognition including the Castle Connolly Best Doctors in America award, nomination by U.S. News & World Report as a Top Doctor, and an Outstanding Contributions and Services award from the Tourette Association of America. Dr. Budman’s professional memberships include the American Psychiatric Association, American Medical Women’s Association, Tourette Syndrome International Consortium for Genetics (TSAICG), Psychiatry Genomics Association (PSG), Tourette Association of America Clinical Trials Consortium, and a speaker with the Tourette Association of American-Center for Disease Control Partnership.

Dr. Budman completed her undergraduate Sc.B in Biology cum laude at Brown University. She earned her Medical Doctorate at the State University of New York at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Budman completed her internship and second year of residency at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine and Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute before spending three years living and working in Sydney, Australia as a Registrar in Alcohol and Substance Abuse at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. After returning to the United States, Dr. Budman completed her adult psychiatry residency and neuropsychiatry fellowship training at North Shore University Hospital Cornell Medical College.

Dr. Ninan has collaborated with the Bio Behavioral Institute for over 30 years. He specializes in treating adults with Anxiety, OCD Related, and Mood disorders. Dr. Ninan graduated from the Christian Medical College in Vellore, India. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn and his Psychiatry Residency at Nassau University Medical Center. He is affiliated with Northwell Hospital and Winthrop University Hospital. His compassionate and conservative approach to medicine allows for maximum treatment outcomes with the least number and dose of medication.

Dr. Carlton graduated from the New York Medical College in 1969 and completed his medical internship at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC and his Psychiatric Residency at the Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic of New York Hospital – Cornell Medical Center.

Since 1975, Dr. Carlton has been a quiet pioneer in the rational use of nutrition-based treatment approaches. Whether treating “psychological” issues (such as depression, anxiety, ADHD), or “physical” problems (such as cognitive impairment/dementia, PMS, migraines, and IBS), his approach includes a stepwise treatment approach. His first step is to look for commonplace foods that in many cases may trigger (or exacerbate) the problems. If that is does not work well enough, he prescribes specific nutrients and herbs to bring relief, and if these nutrient-based approaches do not work well enough, then he will prescribe medications. Even in the cases where medications are needed, he will often prescribe nutrients to augment (complement) the prescription medications. There is already a vast scientific literature showing that certain select nutrients can get various medications to work more quickly, or to work at lower dosages than would normally be the case.

Dr. Carlton’s approach is a good match for individuals who  (1) have not adequately responded to medications, (2) for those who have difficulty tolerating the medications due to side effects, or (3) for those who believe in an integrative approach to their health.